Philosophy of science for sustainability science
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OVERVIEW ARTICLE
Philosophy of science for sustainability science Michiru Nagatsu1 · Taylor Davis2 · C. Tyler DesRoches3 · Inkeri Koskinen4 · Miles MacLeod5 · Milutin Stojanovic1 · Henrik Thorén1 Received: 11 December 2019 / Accepted: 8 June 2020 © The Author(s) 2020
Abstract Sustainability science seeks to extend scientific investigation into domains characterized by a distinct problem-solving agenda, physical and social complexity, and complex moral and ethical landscapes. In this endeavor, it arguably pushes scientific investigation beyond its usual comfort zones, raising fundamental issues about how best to structure such investigation. Philosophers of science have long scrutinized the structure of science and scientific practices, and the conditions under which they operate effectively. We propose a critical engagement between sustainability scientists and philosophers of science with respect to how to engage in scientific activity in these complex domains. We identify specific issues philosophers of science raise concerning current sustainability science and the contributions philosophers can make to resolving them. In conclusion, we reflect on the steps philosophers of science could take to advance sustainability science. Keywords Philosophy of science · Values in science · Interdisciplinarity · Transdisciplinarity · Methodology of sustainability science
Introduction Sustainability science is a novel field of research in many respects. Its practical orientation, transformational ambitions, and inter- and transdisciplinary core require the reconfiguring of both the way science is organized and the relationship between science and practice (Clark and Dickson 2003; Kates 2011; Jerneck et al. 2011; Bettencourt and Kaur 2011). When combined with the ethical dimensions of sustainability, this raises many serious philosophical concerns. Sustainability scientists have been hard at work in recent years developing conceptual resources and novel Handled by David J. Abson, Leuphana Universitat Luneburg, Germany. * Michiru Nagatsu [email protected] 1
Helsinki Institute of Sustainability Science (HELSUS) and Practical Philosophy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
2
Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
3
Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
4
Tampere University, Tampere, Finland
5
University of Twente, Enschede, The Netherlands
methodologies to address these concerns (Adler et al. 2018; Caniglia et al. 2017; Clapp 2018; Livoreil et al. 2017; Nelson and Vucetich 2012; Lang et al. 2012), and philosophers of science have long been posing similar questions about scientific methodology (Winsberg 2018; Cartwright and Hardie 2012), the appropriate role of science in society (Longino 1990; Mitchell 2009), and the various ethical and epistemic issues that arise in scientific practice (Douglas 2009; Steel 2015; Koskinen and Rolin 2019). Moreover, much contemporary philosophy of science is a continuation of science proper, as philosophers have begun to engage directly with the same
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